Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1887-06-18

A Sunday Coaching Party ON tho
streets Of WashingtOn.

streets of Washington.
AUDIENCES AT DIFFERENT PLAcEs-suN-BROwNEI
| RIvERMEN AND wELL-DREssED AVENUE LOUN0KRs-
THE GOSPEL TENT, BIC.
coaching party dashed up the avenue Sun
DAY afternoon, and from the general direction
taken IL might have been supposed that its desti
nation was the Country Club House on the Ten
| leytown road. The Tally-Ho, however was not
after the latest and most approved design of the
Coaching club, and the kid gloves, high collars
and coaching parasols usually characteristic o.
such parties were not noticeable The coach itSel
was one of Knox's long excursion barges, and along
the sides In red letters on white background
was the inscription, "Central Union Mission, 93(
Pennsylvania avenue" As there was no "outside'
the entire party occupied the long seats facing
each other that the length OF the wagon in the
| inside. The ribbons were handled by a veteran
energy on the part Of the four iron-gray horses
| and managed his team without arousing any crit.
| ctSm-
THE START.
After the thirty-f1ve passengers or so had been
seated and while the coach still stood in front oil
| the doors OF the Mission Rooms on the south side
OF the avenue, man lifted up long object, which
was taken into the coach. 1t might have been 9
basket OF champagne, as that Is nearly always
| necessary for the happiness OF coaching party,
but 1t was not. 1t was one of the tiniest organs
possible. A box three feet long, perhaps, and 9
worked by pedals. It resembIed more the new
| tangled organetJe from which music Is extracted
by means Of crank. However, this was regu-
| lar Mason Hamlin organ, and 1t was placed In
| front OF young man, who at once opened the
small cover and began to arrange his music.
| There was another young man sitting beside him
| who had cOrnet, and be busted himself, as the
| wagon BOWED along, in blowing the dust out, and
preparing for grand toOt The other occupants OF
the coach were equally divided as to sex, and also
| as to the sides which they occupied in the wagon.
| The women sat together on one side and the men
on the other and it may have been due to accl.
| the sunny side. AS The STAR man sat with the
brothers on the Shady side he Is bound to believe
tateG. The guard" on the seat with the driver
| called down and wanted to know
THE FIRST STOPPING PLACE.
''The Circle" shouted chorus OF voices, and 80,
In the direction OF Washington Circle, the iron
| grays forged along. In the meanwhile the occu-
pants of the coach were busily engaged In prepar-
| ing for the work In hand, for that Is what the
gospel wagon, 1t Is known, starts out every Sun
1ay 70 40 ia m o 9ne snd
| young man passed along the aisle distributing
singing books. ''The Moody and sankey Consolf-
dated' was the book used although one OF the
sisters suddenly exclaimed in anxious tones,
| 'Where is my Sam Small?" The STAR looked
around, expecting to see small namesake Of that
noted revivalist cry out, "Here is MAJ" but moth
| ing OF the sort happened A singing book which
| it seems goes by that name was handed to the
brothers and sisters formed the speakers stan and
then there was large number who went along to
called, at the various stopping places where OPEN
air meetings are held. The entire company was
cheerful and the conversation which, was carried
along as we'll as possible amid the noise OF the
moving wagon, was mainly about previous meet
tngS which had been held, and principally about
one that had been held that morning In the midst
OF the division" at the corner OF 18th and d
streets. This was the first time the Mission had
held an open-air meeting IN that vicinity. and
one OF the brothers said that while they did not
succeed In securing the attendance OF many OF the
inmates OF the houses in that neighbOrhOod, yet
| they were encouraged by the thought that the
sound Of the singing must have entered the open
windows.
OBSERVATIONS ALONG THE ROUTE.
As the great wagon rolled along up the avenue it
attracted stleSs kind Of attention from the Sum-
day groups that always adorn the fronts OF cigar
stores and the street corners. There was nearly
always an amused look on the faces OF these spec
tators, as II they wanted to be as indulgent pos
S1Oe toward an eccentricity OF this kind, and yet
could not refrain from being greatly entertained.
However, the occupants OF the wagon did not seem
TO mind what was thought OF them. Presently the
vicinity OF the Washington Circle was reached,
and then the organ sounded out. The cornet
emitted blast and the brothers and sisters broke
out heartily in singing one OF their familiar hymns
horses were brought up close 10 the curb with q
Kind OF religious flourish and in as good shape as
the most expert whip In coaching club could
hope to attain. The sound OF the music combined
with this brave display or Craftsmanship had an
enect upon the groups OF people who were enjoy
Ing the quiet beauty OF the grass and flowers and
trees In the circle. There was considerable COM
motion In that quiet spot, and great Scurry1ng
around OF small children and nurses, the children
| wagon and the nurses frantically endeavOring TO
| keep them from under the feet Of the horses.
THE AUDIENCE.
The consequence was that when the wagon
| stopped it was at once surrounded by fringe Of
| open-mouthed, open-eyed children. The singing
wit nd adj
constantly being added to the group OF spectators
AS seen from the wagon, the spectators seemed to
be divided into wel-dehned sections. First there
was fringe OF children OF all ages and all colors
and conditions OF life. Then came the women
some with babies On their arms and others with
no eccumbranceS except their Sunday clothes.
The outside section was more spread out, consist
ing, as it dill, OF men. There were young men
there who had stopped for moment to satisfy
their curiosity, and they continued TO smoke their
cigars. Several cOlored men came along with
pipes in their mouths, and they also stopped
The circle Is one OF the regular mission stations
OF the gospel wagon, but, as one OF the speakers
announced, they would not stop long that day, as
| they were on their way TO attend the dedication
OF the Gospel Tent at the corner or 23d and
streets northwest. After short address, followed
by invitation to all TO attend the tent meeting
the singing Was again started up. and the wagon
rolled down 231 Street. The transition from The
smooth asphalt OF the Avenue to the rough cObDle
stone, with which this street IS paved, Was at
once noticed in the singing, which was kept up
with undlminiShed v1gor. The effect was the same
as Is noticed In organ music when the Organ1st
UTdWS OuG q sup VI STcdL power. Inc
voices OF the brothers and sisters Quavered and
shook, but they still continued liting the tune"
until the horses again smartly drew up at the cor
ner OF 23d and g streets
THE GOSPEL TENT.
Here was the new tent located on a vacant LOT
| and 1T seemed to be already crowded. Three or
four policemen stood on the corner and throng OF
children came :umbling down the embankment
from the tent to welcome the new arrivals Ser
vices were already In progress inside the tent and
these were suspended while the gospel WagOnerS
entered and found seats They brought the little
organ from the wagon and placed IL IN the center
| OF the tent. One oil the goSpelerS took seat on
the small platform, ami then the exercises went
on. The tent Is located on The border of what is
known as "FOggy Bottom" and those OF the resi-
dents who had come to the tent stood up when all
the benches had been filled. or course there were
with great devoutneSs, although one especially
earnest brother was observed to be singing heart
| lily from hymn-bOOk which he held upside down
| He seemed to gather great mental refreshment
| from gazing at The open pages now and then and
the thoughtlesS young men and girls about him
who laughed did not seem to disturb his deVOt1ons
| in the least. The audience, however was atten-
| tive and orderly, and the policemen had nothing
| to do except to stand in the shade. When the
dedication exercises were concluded the gOSpelers
left the tent and the meeting was continued witn-
| out them.
ON THE RIVER FRONT.
The coach then drove down street. then
| through the mall and down 18th street to the
| wharves, and finally drew up on the shady side of
q brick building at the corner OF 18th and Water
streets. An audience was already gathered there
| In anticipation or the arrival OF the wagon Its
a. cd hv fho II